Preliminary hearing postponed in Santa Cruz man's beating death

SANTA CRUZ - The five people charged with beating a man to death in November are due back in court Jan. 23 to set a preliminary hearing date.

Shaelyn Zeanne Gonzales, 21; Michael Valgene Hudson, 41; Jason Michael Weiland, 31; Tina Anderson, 43; and Jeremiah James Long, 26, are charged with first-degree murder for the death of Charles Robert Powers. They appeared in court Wednesday for what was originally scheduled as a setting date. Instead, defense attorneys asked for more time because they are still receiving recordings of interviews with their client from the prosecutors.

Weiland initially refused to waive time, demanding his preliminary hearing be held within 10 days of Wednesday's court appearance but he eventually agreed to wait. He and Anderson both cried as they sat in the court wearing their jail-issued clothing. A handful of family members attended the proceeding.

Police found 51-year-old Powers dead late on Nov. 16 near a homeless encampment in Santa Cruz. An autopsy determined he died from blunt force trauma after being hit over the head with a skateboard and having rocks thrown at him.

Prosecutors also have charged Long with assault with a deadly weapon, which in this case they say was a skateboard.